Area roads and highways will soon be covered in ice and snow, so the Illinois Department of Transportation wants to make sure drivers are ready to handle it.

IDOT kicked off its "Winter Weather - Get It Together" campaign with a few simple steps drivers can take to protect themselves on the road.

"Reducing your speed, allowing for extra travel time, increasing following distance between vehicles, and avoiding unnecessary lane changes are simple precautions drivers can take to make commutes safe," said Captain David Byrd, Illinois State Police.

IDOT is also urging drivers to slow down and stay far away from plows when heavy snow starts to fall.